Combined fluid and electrical connector



May 8, 1962 c. J. PAULER ETAL 3,034,035

COMBINED FLUID AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. CHARLES J- PAULER RUSSELL B,WADDELL,JR.

ATT'YS May 8, 1962 c. J- PAULER ETAL 3,034,085

COMBINED FLUID AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: CHARLES J. PAULER RUSSELL B. WADDELL, JR.

ATT'YS nited rates This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner hose assembly in which there is provided a fiexible hose for conducting dirt laden air from a cleaning too-l such as a floor nozzle to a suction and filter unit in which the dirt is filtered from the air and the air is exhausted to the atmossphere.

One common type of vacuum cleaner employs a unit for creating a vacuum and filtering dirt from dirt laden air drawn into the unit by reason of the vacuum. This unit is connected to a cleaning tool such as a floor nozzle by means of a movable conduit including as a portion thereof a flexible hose. It has been proposed that the floor unit in certain instances be a device having an electric motor used to rotate a brush. Thus, such a device is intended to function in its cleaning operation in somewhat the same ma ner as the ordinary stick type cleaner, although in the ordinary stick type cleaner the motor brush suction unit and the vacuum creating and dirt filtering unit are carried on the common wheel mounting.

' An electrically operated fioor unit of the above type is disclosed and claimed in C. H. Sparklin et *al. application Serial No. 697,239, filed November 18, 1957, and

assigned to the same assignee as that for the present invention. A vacuum cleaner of the type that is adapted to be connected by means of a flexible hose to a hour tool and the like is disclosed in C. E. Hanson application Serial No. 685,977, filed September 24, 1957, and also assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

In order to supply such a motor operated floor tool and the like with an electric current it has been proposed that the flexible air hose interconnecting the suction unit and the motor operated floor tool incorporate an electric cord built into the hose and arranged in a helix there. around. The electric cord in these instances is actually a part of the hose and is not visible from the exterior or the interior of the hose. 'In these instances one end of the electric cord is adapted to be connected to a power source in the suction unit while the other end of the cord is adapted to be connected to the motor of the floor tool in order to supply electric current thereto.

The present invention provides an improved connect r assembly for a vacuum cleaner hose including improved 3,034fi85 Patented May 8, 1962.

ice

FIGURE 7 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary elevation of another form 1 of an end of a vacuum cleaner hose assembly embodying the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 through 7, a vacuum cleaner hose assembly generally designated 10 includes a flexible hose 11 which may be formed of a plastic such as polyethylene and having associated therewith a pair of Wires 12, the precise hose construction per se forming no part of the instant invention. A first coupler 13 is connected to one end of the hose 11 for coupling that end of'the hose to an intake 14 of a suction unit 15. A male electrical connector 16is carried on the coupler 13 and is electrically connected to wires 12. The suction unit 15 is provided with a complementary female electrical connector 17 adjacent the intake 14 for electrically conductive connection with connector 16 when coupler 13 is installed in intake 14. V

The opposite end of the hose is provided with a coupler 18 adapted to be telescopically installed in a tubular end 19 of a floor tool (not shown). Coupler 18 carries a female connector 2% which has electrically conductive connection with a complementary male connector 21 carried on floor tool end 19 when the coupler 18 is installed in end 19. Connector 21 is connected by a suitable electrical cable 22 to the brush motor (not shown) of the floor tool. Thus, when the hose assembly 10 is connected between suction unit intake 14 and floor tool end 19 an electrical connection from the suction unit to the floor I 5, coupler 13 includes a tubular hose supporting portion .23

' provided with a plurality of outwardly extending proreleasable means for connecting the ends of the hose and improved vacuum cleaner hose assembly-comprising a hose, an electric cord associated with the hose, a coupler on the end of the hose for attachment of the assembly to a vacuum cleaning apparatus, an electrical connector to which the cord is attached, and means attaching the electrical connector to the coupler whereby strain on the connector will be absorbed by the coupler instead of the cord.

Another feature of the invention is to provide such a vacuum cleaner hose assembly further including an enclosure enclosing the end of the hose and at least a portion of the connector.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription of certain embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompany ing drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vacuum cleaner apparatusprovided with a hose assembly embodying the invention.

jections 24 on the outer surface thereof. Projections 24 are arranged in a helix and are aligned in longitudinal rows. The end of hose 11 is received on the surface of hose supportingportion 23 and is held in position by the projections 24 which are aligned beneath adjacent convolutions of the current carrying wires 12. The outer end 28 of hose supporting. portion 23 is enlarged and also radially thickened as indicated at 25. This outer end 28 is provided with an annular internal groove 26 and a longitudinal groove 27. v i

The radially thickened portion 25 of the hose supporting portion 23 is provided with a recess means 29defining opposed first locking shoulders 30. Held within the recess means 29 is an inner portion 31 of male connector 16 shaped to provide second shoulders complementary .to shoulders 30 so that inner portion31 mates'w'ith and fits snugly and securely within the recess 29. These complementary shoulders comprise retaining elements for retaining the connector portion 31. An outer portion 32 of the male connector 16 extends forwardly beyond the end of hose supporting portion 23 with the longitudinal axes of the coupler13 and of the connector 16 being substantially parallel to each other. Connector 16 is provided with means 33 therein for connecting the ends of the wires 12 to a pair of metal terminal prongs 34 pro jecting forwardly from outer portion 32 of the connector.

Coupler 13 further includes a tubular attaching portion 35 having an outer end 36 arranged for removable fit in intake 14 of the suction unit 15. The inner end 37 of the coupler attaching portion 35 is reduced in diameter for telescopic fit within outer end 25 of the hose sup porting portion 23. A plurality of circumferentially spaced cars 38 are struck from athe'inner end 37 of the attaching portion 35, which ears'snap into groove 26 in end 25 of the hose supporting portion 23 to lock the attachingportion 35 in secured relationship with the hose supporting portion 23. End 37 of the attaching portion 35 is further provided with a guide projection 39 which cooperates with longitudinal groove 27 of hose supporting portion end 25 to retain the attaching portion 35 in a preselected rotational relationship relative to the axis of the coupler 13.

ditional support of the connector 16 on coupler 13, a fastener 40 such as a rivet is passed through the outer portion 32 of connector 16 and the con-fronting Wall of attaching portion end 36, as best seen in FIGURE 3. The. inner portion 31 of the connector 16 is retained in recess29 by an overlying annular outer portion 41 of a tubular enclosure 42. The inner end 43 of the enclosure has substantial longitudinal extent and surrounds the hose supporting portion .23 and the end of. the hose '11 carried thereon As 'best seen in FIGURE 3, s'ufficient clearance is provided between end 43 and the end of hose 11 to permit extension of wires 12 from the hose to the connector 16.

' .41 end 19 of the floor tool, Thus, when the attaching pornon-'53 of coupler 18 is inserted into the tubular end 19, spring catch 55 maintains the hose assembly 10 in association with tubular end 19, while permitting a ready disassociation therefrom when desired. 7

Female connectorlt) associated with coupler 18'is preferably similar to inner portion 31 of male connector 16. Femaleconnect-or 20is-disposed substantially fully fecting substantial extension of theuseful life of the hose assembly.

' In certain instances, such as Where the female connector of the suction unit 15 is not directly superposed to the intake, theouter portion of the male connector associated with the hose assembly may comprise a plug member, '61 carrying the terminal prongs 34 and connected to the inner portion 31 of the connector by a flexible cable 62. This form of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 8. It should be noted that here againthe attachment of the inner portion 31 of the connector'to the coupler as- To lock the attaching portion releasably in intake 14 of the vacuum cleaner suction unit15 a spring catch 44'is secured to the attaching portion outer end 36. The catch'includes a leaf spring support 45 secured at one ,end bya fastener 46 such as a rivet to the inner surface of the tubular wall' of attaching portion end 36. 7 An opcrating button 47 is fixedto the midportion of the spring support 45 and extends outwardly through an opening 48 in the wall of end 36'. A retainer 49 is also secured to the inner surface of the wall to limit the inward movea V merit of the spring support. .At its outer end, the spring support is provided with a catch lug 50 which projects movably through an opening 51 in the wall of end 36 to project intoa corresponding opening 52in intake 14 by the biasing action'of spring support 45 when the a taching portion 35 is inserted into intake 14.

As shown in FIGURES and 3, female connector 17 of the suction'unit 15 is superposed to intake '14 in 1 position to receivethe terminal prongs 34 vof the male connector 16 when the attaching portion 35 of coupler 13 is connectedly associated with intake 14. Thus,'the

coupler13 may be readily associated with the suction unit 15 to provide both .an airflow connection and an electrical c0nnection1therebetween. As the electrical coni nector 16 is secured-to the coupler 13, strains on'thecQ larato coupler-13." The attaching portion 53 of coupler '18 ditierssomewhatfrom the attaching portion 350i coupler 13 in the provision of .a tapered nose54 at the outer endof attachingportion 53 and the provision of another form of spring catch.55.' Spring catch '55 comprises an annular spring 56 extending approximately270 concentrically within the'tubular attaching portion 53 aud provided adjacent one end with a catch lug 57 PIOjeClZ- ing' through a suitable opening 58 in the wall of the attaching portion. 53. The outer'surface'59 of the catch ,lug 57 :is rounded to have readilyfreleasable locking-coaction with a complementaryrecess 60' in the tubular sures that the coupler will absorb the strains on'the connectocto preclude the transmission thereof to the wires 12 associated with the hose. 7

Having described our invention as related to the embodiments shownin the accompanying drawings, it is intended. thatthe invention be not limited by any one of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims,

The embodiments of the invention in. which an exclusive property'or privilege is claimed are defined as foltached to said first. portion for removable association with the vacuum cleaner apparatus; an-electr-ical connecr. tor having an inner portion withse'cond retaining ele: ments fitted into said recess means, said first'and second retaining elements. being complementary for retaining said connector portion onsaid coupler first portion, said connector having an outer portion secured to saidsecond portion of the coupler; a pair of'electrical connecting elements exposed for access from outside said couplerouter portion; meansin said electrical connector electrically connecting said pair of elements to said hose electrical conductors; and enclosingmeans on said coupler overlying said connector inner portion recess means to aid in retaining said' inner portion in said recess means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein'said first retaining elements comprise shoulders forming a part of said recess means, said second retaining elements comprise shoulders forming a part of said connector inner portion,.and said enclosing means comprises a tubular enclosure around said couplerqfirstportion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Moon Junel2, 1956 

